TALMUDIC 
■ PEARLS ■ 



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Book. 



Copyright^ 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIC 



TALMUDIC PEARLS 



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Compiled By 

BARNET HODES, LL. B. 



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PUBLISHED BY 

ARTHUR BLACKWOOD & CO 

Not Inc. 
CHICAGO, ILL. 



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Copyright 1922 
BY 

PHILLIP PASKIND 



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■CI.A677300 



FOREWORD 

It is not my intention to present even a small 
part of the Talmudic gems, but it is my sincere 
hope that this little work may inculcate in the 
reader a respect for the wealth of beauty, sub- 
tle thought, and learning that the Talmud con- 
tains and thus perhaps act as an incentive for 
perusal and even study of the Talmud's won- 
derous store of sagacity and wisdom. 

B. H. 



ANGER 

A man who becometh angry, if he be a sage 
his wisdom leaveth him, and if he be a 
prophet his power of prophecy forsaketh him. 

Anger profiteth nobody. 



Anger showeth the character of man. 

To accept excuse shows good disposition. 

He who gives away to his wrath makes 
desolate his house. 



Be not easily moved to anger. 

To him who curbs his wrath, his sins will 
be forgiven. 

He who is slow to anger and easily paci- 
fied is truly pious and virtuous. 

BUSINESS 

One must not bargain for goods if he does 
not intend to buy. 

1 



Rabbi Chav declared to his son, Ibber, 
"I have tried to teach thee the holy law, 
but I cannot succeed; come and I will teach 
you the worldly things, if you bring goods 
from abroad, try to sell them before you have 
shaken of! the dust from your feet. Never be 
sorry for having sold your wine even if soon 
after you sold it it has gone up in price, as 
there is always a risk of wine turning into 
vinegar. Try always to have payment for 
your goods on delivery. Be content with a 
small profit on articles you can easily replen- 
ish, rather than a large profit on articles you 
have to import from abroad. If you have a 
large cargo of dates on your hands, try to dis- 
pose of them as quickly as possible." 

CARE 

Let not thy heart with care be filled, for 
care has many victims killed. 

Do not worry thyself with the trouble of 
tomorrow; perhaps thou wilt have no tomor- 
row, and why shouldst thou trouble thyself 
about a world that is not thine. 



CHARACTER 

A man may be known by three things, by 
his conduct in money matters, his behavior 
at the table and his demeanor when angry. 

CHARITY 

It is better to lend than to give. 

To give employment is better than either. 



Even he who lives upon charity should 
practice benevolence. 



The house that does not open the door to 
the poor, will open it to the physician. 



The noblest of all charities is in enabling 
the poor to earn a livelihood. 



It is our duty to relieve the poor and the 
needy, to visit the sick and bury the dead with- 
out distinction of race or creed. 

3 



CHILDREN 

Do not excite jealousy amongst your chil- 
dren by making one of them a favorite. 

Remember the history of Joseph and his 
brethren. 



The daughter is as the mother was. 

What a child says out of doors he has 
learned indoors. 



The daughter's doings have been the 
mother's acts. 



Do not confine your children to your own 
learnings, for they were born in another time. 

If your child deserves punishing, either 
punish him there and then, or else tell him 
you forgive him, but never hold the threat of 
punishment over his head. 

CLEANLINESS 

Poverty comes from God, but not dirt. 
4 



COMPANIONSHIP 

Not without reason goes the crow to the 
raven, but because it is of its kind. 

If you touch pitch, it will stick to your 
fingers. Even so, if you associate with evil 
companion, you will acquire their vices. 

Birds of a feather flock together and so 
with men — like to like — associate not with 
the wicked man, even if thou couldst learn 
from him. 



We may say to the bee neither thy honey 
nor thy sting. 



It is beautiful and causes rejoicing to see 
grapes on the vines; it is ugly and repugnant 
to see grapes on the thorn bush. 



When the iron was created the trees began 
to tremble. The iron however said to them: 

"What are you trembling at? 

"If none of you will join me I will remain 
harmless." 



CONDUCT 

There is hope for a man who is capable of 
being ashamed. 

As a tree is known by its fruit, so man by his 
works. 



Not what you say about yourself, but what 
others say. 

He who fears the opinion of the world more 
than his own conscience has but little self re- 
spect. 



Who is deserving of honor? 
He who honoreth mankind. 



Man, be ever soft and pliable like a reed, 
and not hard and unbending like a cedar. 



More than strangers can harm you. You 
can harm yourself. 

Do not enter your house suddenly. 
Much less the house of thy neighbor. 

6 



He who raises a hand against a fellow man, 
even if he injures him not, is called wicked. 



He who shames a fellow man in public is 
a murderer. 



If thou hast commenced a good action, 
leave it not incomplete. 



Those who, when offended do not give of- 
fense, when hearing slighting remarks, do 
not retaliate, they are the friends of God, 
they shall shine forth like the sun in its glory. 



Whether a man be strong or weak, rich or 
poor, wise or foolish, depends mostly on cir- 
cumstances that surround him from the time 
of his birth, but whether a man be good or 
bad, righteous or wicked, depends on his own 
free will. 



He who cheerfully submits to suffering 
brings salvation to the world. 

Man sees all the faults but his own. 
7 



The forest trees once asked the fruit trees: 

"Why is the rustling of your leaves not 
heard in the distance? 

The fruit trees replied; "We can dispense 
with the rustling to manifest our presence, our 
fruits testify for us." 

The fruit trees then inquired of the forest 
trees : 

"Why do your leaves rustle almost continu- 
ally?" 

"We are forced to call the attention of men 
to our existence." 

Action speaks louder than words. 

Judge a man by his deeds and not by his 
words. 



First correct thyself, then correct others. 

The following three kinds of men do not 
live a life worth living: 

Those who have too much pity with im- 
portunates, those who are very excitable, and 
those who are too fastidious. 



The seriousness of the insult depends upon 
by whom it is offered. 

8 



Do not blame in others your own faults. 



He who sees his own faults is too much 
occupied to see the faults of others. 



He who blames others is full of blame him- 
self ; and the faults he sees in others, may be 
seen in himself. 



He who seeks for a faultless brother will 
have to remain brotherless. 



Do not commit private acts in public, on 
account of evil consequences which have en- 
sued by reason thereof. 



'All the other rivers said to the Euphrates: 
"Why is the current of thy waters not heard at 
a distance?" 

The Euphrates replied: "My deeds testify 
for me. Anything sown by man at my shore 
will be in full bloom within thirty days." 

The rivers then addressed the Tigris: 
"Why is the current of thy waters heard at a 
distance?" 



"I must direct the attention of the people 
to me by my tumultuous rapidity," the Tigris 
replied. 

The moral: The less the merits of a per- 
son are, the more he will feel urged to pro- 
claim them to the public. 

CONTENTMENT 

Grasp a little and you may secure it. 
Grasp too much and you may loose every- 
thing. 

The camel wanted to have horns, and they 
took away his ears. 

Drink not from one cup with thine eyes 
fastened on another. 

COVETOUSNESS 

The question is asked, why is man born with 
hands clinched, but has his hands wide open 
in death? And the answer is: On entering 
the world man desires to grasp everything, 
but when leaving he takes nothing away. 

10 



Even as a fox who saw a fine vineyard, and 
hungered after its grapes, but being too fat 
to get through the only opening there was, 
fasted three days. He then got in; but, hav- 
ing fed, he could not get out until he had 
fasted three days more. 

Naked man enters the world and naked 
does he leave. 

CRUELTY 

It is forbidden to be cruel to anything that 
has life. 



Do not put a greater burden upon thy 
beast than it can bear. 



To have compassion upon animals is one 
of the laws of Moses. 



He who has no mercy upon animals shall 
himself suffer pain. 



A man should not buy cattle or poultry 
without having first bought food for them. 

11 



DEATH 

Do not speak ill of the departed, but re- 
member that his soul still lives though the 

body is dead. 

It is our duty to comply with the last wishes 
of a dying person. 

Death is the haven of life and old age is the 
ship which enters the port. 

DECEPTION 

He who would deceive his neighbor would 
also deceive his God. 



Under no consideration lead men astray. 
DISCRETION 

Thy friend has a friend, and thy friend's 
friend has a friend: be discreet. 

DISHONESTY 

Buy nothing from a thief. 

12 



It is wrong to receive a present from a thief. 
The receiver is as bad as the thief. 



There is no difference between robbing a 
Jew and a Gentile: 

The thief's end is the gallows. 



DRESS 

In the town where one lives the name will 
do; out side of it the dress must do. 



The learned man whose garments are soiled 
is undeserving of honor. 

DUTY 

The Lord is not with him who, while pos- 
sessing great knowledge has no sense of duty. 

ENVY 

An envious man frowns when his neighbor 
rejoices. 

13 



ERRORS 

Error soon loses itself. 

EXAMPLE 

Let every man watch his doings that he may 
be an example to his fellow man through life. 

EXPERIENCE 

Experience is the mirror of the mind. 

FLATTERY 

Let not your lips speak that which is not 
in your heart. 

Love those who reprove thee, and hate those 
who flatter thee, for reproof may lead you 
to eternal life, flattery to destruction. 

FOOLS 

The pious fool and the hyprocrite are de- 
stroyers of human society. 

14 



An ass tied to the sun 

A fool in a high station. 



A thing to which a fool will not consent 
know as the right thing. 



FRIENDSHIP 



Man should be of a lovable disposition; he 
must take heed not to hurt anyone's feelings 
in any way, even in a matter where he is shown 
an article that has been purchased and in his 
judgment it is neither ornamental nor useful 
or has been overpaid in value, he is not to ex- 
press himself in a way which would tend to 
sadden the possessor. 



Cause your enemies to become your friends 
and you will be a real hero. 



The best preacher is the heart. 
The best teacher is time. 
The best book is the world. 
The best friend is God. 

IS 



Have as many friends as possible, but not 
to one in a thousand tell your secrets. 



R. Simeon B. Elazar said: 

"Do not seek to appease thy neighbor in the 
hour of his passion, and do not seek to con- 
sole him in the hour when his dead is laid out 
before him, and do not interrogate him in the 
hour of his vow, and strive not to see him in 
the hour of his disgrace. 



In his presence do not lavishly proclaim all 
you can about a man's good qualities; reserve 
that for his absence." 



He who asks more of his friend than he 
can bestow, deserves to be refused. 

A man without friends is like the left hand 
without the right. 

If thy friend is honey, do not lick him up 
altogether. 

Thine own deeds make thy friends and ene- 
mies. 

16 



At the gate of abundance there are many 
a brother and friend; at the gate of misery 
there are neither brother nor friend. 



One should not part from a friend in the 
midst of levity or idle talk, but rather after 
conversing on matters of importance. 

His friend is then more likely to remember 
him or think of him. 



One enemy is one too many, a thousand 
friends are none too many. 

The dog follows thee, but his attachment is 
the crumb which he expects of thee. 

GOD AND MAN 

During Rabbi Meir's absence from home 
two of his sons died. 

Their mother, hiding her grief, awaited the 
father's return, and then said to him, "My 
husband, some time since two jewels of in- 
estimable value were placed with me for safe 
keeping." 

"He who left them with me called for them 

17 



today, and I delivered them into his hands." 
"That is right," said the Rabbi, approvingly. 
"We must always return cheerfully and faith- 
fully all that is left in our care." 

Shortly after this the Rabbi asked for his 
sons, and the mother taking him by the hand, 
led him gently to the chamber of death. 
Meir gazed upon his sons, and realizing the 
truth, wept bitterly. 

"Weep not, beloved husband," said his noble 
wife ; "didst thou not say to me we must return 
cheerfully, when it is called for, all that has 
been placed in our care? God gave us these 
jewels, he left them with us for a time, and we 
gloried in their possession; now that he calls 
for his own, we should not repine." 

Rabbi Judah said: 

"If a person weeps and mourns excessively 
for a lost relative, his grief becomes a murmur 
against God, and he may soon be obliged to 
weep for another death." 

We should justify the decree of God and 
exclaim with Job: "The Lord gave and the 
Lord hath taken. Blessed be the name of the 
Lord." God's commandments are intended to 

18 



enhance the value and enjoyment of life, but 
not to mar it and make it gloomy. 



He who devotes himself to the mere study 
of religion without engaging in work of love 
and mercy is like one who has no God. 



When a rich man requires the services of 
any one, he is sure to be accommodated, and 
that with the pleasantest of face, but when 
the poor man is in need of anything, if fortu- 
nate enough not to meet with refusal, it will 
be granted to him grudgingly. 

Not so with our merciful Father, he in- 
vites the poor and humble (in spirit) to come 
to him. 



Be bold as a leopard, and swift as an eagle 
and fleet as a hart, and strong as a lion to do 
the will of thy Father which is in heaven. 

Whoever is loved by mankind is also loved 
by the supreme, but whosoever is not loved 
by mankind is not loved by the supreme. 

19 



GOVERNMENT 

If a fox is king, bow to him. 

Respect the customs of the place whither 
thou comest; for Moses ascended to heaven 
and ate no bread, while the angels descended 
to earth and partook of food. 

Do not aspire for public office; but where 
there are no men, try to be the man. 

Do not isolate thyself from the community 
and its interests. 



Were it not for patriotism sterile lands 
would be deserted. 



It is sinful to deceive the government re- 
garding taxes and duties. 

Pray for the welfare of the government, 
since if it were not for the awe which it in- 
spires, men would swallow each other alive. 

Those who work for the community shall 
work without selfishness, and with the pure 
intention to promote its welfare. 

20 



He who revolts against the government 
commits as great a sin as if he revolted against 
God. 



Despise not public opinion; the voice of the 
people is the voice of God. 

Even if the commonest of the common is 
appointed leader by a community, he must be 
considered as the noblest of nobility. 

A judge is to be held, in his days, equal in 
authority with the greatest of his antecedents. 

The serpent's tail had a long time followed 
the direction of the head with the best results. 

One day the tail began, "thou appearest al- 
ways foremost, but I must remain in the back- 
ground. 

Why should I not also sometimes lead?" 

"Well," replied the head, "thou shall have 
thy will for once." The tail rejoiced, and ac- 
cordingly took the lead. Its first exploit was to 
drag the body into a miry ditch. Hardly es- 
caped from that unpleasant situation, it crept 
into a fiery furnace; and when relieved from 

21 



there, it got entangled among briers and 
thorns. 

What caused all the misfortunes? Because 
the head submitted to be guided by the tail. 

When the lower classes are guided by the 
higher, all goes well, but if the higher orders 
sutler themselves to be swayed by popular 
prejudices they all suffer together. 

GUILT 

He who denies his guilt doubles his guilt. 

If any blame be attached to thee, be the first 
one to declare it. 



He through whose agency another has been 
falsely punished, stands outside of heaven's 
gates. 

HEALTH 

Wait not to honor the physician till thou 
fallest sick. 



Medicine is a science whose practice is 
authorized by God himself. 

22 



We ought not live in a town where no physi 
cian resides. 



If you regard your health, then never eat 
yourself full and lie down to sleep immedi- 
ately after a meal. 

HONESTY 

The liar is not believed even when he tells 
the truth. 



A judge that takes a bribe, even if he be 
otherwise perfectly righteous, will not depart 
from the world before he has become de- 
mented. 



Falsehood is popular, truth is unpopular; 
falsehood is frequent, truth scarce; but truth 
prevails, while falsehood does not prevail. 

Man should rather turn a carcass in the 
open street then turn from his word. And he 
should skin a carcass to earn his bread and 
not to disdain such work and say it is beneath 
his dignity. His learning is his high birth. 

23 



There can be no indignity in earning an 
honest wage, whatever the work may be. 

Whoever takes a coin from the fund in- 
tended for charity for the poor when he is not 
in need of it, will not die before he will really 
be in need of assistance. 



Rather eat onions and sit in peace in thy 
house, than geese and chickens which thou 
wilt acquire a taste for and perhaps be unable 
to gratify. Reduce the quality of thy meals, 
if need be, in order to improve the quality of 
thy abode. 

When Ula came from Palestine he said, 
"There is a saying in Palestine to this effect: 

He who always eats the fat of a ram's tail 
must hide himself from creditors in an altar, 
but he who satisfies himself with herbs, can 
sit in the center of the market in full view of 
all." 

HYPOCRISY 

It is contemptible conduct to enter anyone's 
home without knocking at the door. 

24 



Mishna C. Be cautious with those in 
authority, for they let not a man approach 
them but for their own purpose; and they ap- 
pear like friends when it is to their advantage, 
and stand not by a man in time of his need. 



Mishna V. Samuel the little used always 
repeat the following passage: 

At the fall of thy enemy do not rejoice and 
at his stumbling let not they heart be glad. 



There is a suspicion against a young girl 
given much to prayer, and against a widow 
given much to visiting her neighbors. 



Be not a friend of one who wears the cloak 
of a saint to cover the moral deformities of 
a knave. 



There are some who preach beautifully, but 
practice not their beautiful doctrine. 

IGNORANCE 

Ignorance and conceit go hand in hand. 

25 



IMMORTALITY 



9 



A special mansion will be given in heaven 
to every pious man. 

The longest life is insufficient for the fulfil- 
ment of half of man's desires. 



The just of all nations have a portion in the 
future reward. 

INDUSTRY 

The future gains from present pains. 

INGRATITUDE 

When he was a puppy I fed him, and when 
he became a dog he bit me. 

In the well from which thou drinkest do not 
cast a stone. 

JEALOUSY 

He that cherishes jealousy in his heart, his 
bones rot. 

26 



JUSTICE 

Thy neighbor's property must be as sacred 
to thee as thine own. 



Wrong neither they brother in faith nor 
him who differs from thee in faith. 

KNOWLEDGE 

If thou hast acquired knowledge, what 
canst thou lack? If thou lackest knowledge, 
what canst thou acquire? 



Be eager to acquire knowledge; it does not 
come to thee by inheritance. 



If a man has knowledge he has all things; 
if he has no knowledge he has nothing. 



It may be much easier to replace the loss of 
a king than that of a public religious in- 
structor. Let every community bear this in 
mind and treat their religious teachers ac- 
cordingly. 

27 



A plant transplanted will thrive more so 
than the one which always remains in its 
original ground. Likewise the student who 
changes school and teachers will learn more 
than one who always remains in the same 
school. 



A thinking mind can gauge a man's charac- 
ter in trivial matters by a man's eating or 
drinking; even a man's whiskers may indicate 
a man's intellect and may be an index as to 
his learning and lack of learning. 

To acquire knowledge and not impart it to 
others may be compared to a beautiful plant 
flourishing in the untraversed desert, where 
no one is benefited by its existence. 



Be choice in your speech even if you have to 
use more words to convey your meaning. 
Never make a short cut in speaking but use 
decent expressions and phrases. 



Mishna I. Seven things mark the clod and 
seven there are for the sage. 

The wise man does not speak before those 

28 



who surpass him in wisdom and years ; he does 
not interrupt another in his speech, he is not 
hasty in answering; he does not ask questions 
rashly; asks with propriety and point; speaks 
first upon the matter first in order, and last 
upon last, when he does not understand the 
matter under discussion he confesses, I do not 
understand it; and admits it when he has been 
convinced. 

The opposite of these mark the clod. 



Mishna T. R. Elazar Ozariah was wont to 
say, 'Without knowledge of religion there can 
be no true culture, and without true culture 
there can be no knowledge of religion. Where 
there is no wisdom there is no fear of God, 
and without fear of God there is no wisdom, 
without learning there can be no counsel, and 
without counsel there will be lack of learning. 
Where there is a dearth of bread culture can- 
not thrive, and the lack of culture causes 
dearth of bread." 



In attempting to study any subject, it is 
advisable to read through the subject, then to 

29 



try to understand the simple or literal mean- 
ing of the phrases and again read it carefully 
through to grasp the side issue. 

Rav gave the following advice to his son 
Rabbi Cheyah, "Never accustom yourself to 
one sort of drink, if you must have alcohol 
drinks, then do not always take the same. If 
you do, it will be hard for you to break your- 
self of the habit of drinking. Do not walk 
fast; fast walking injures the eyesight. Have 
no tooth extracted, even if all other remedies 
for the ache have failed. Do not indulge feel- 
ing of revenge, not even against a heathen, 
aye, not even against a snake." 

LOVE 

When our conjugal love was strong, the 
width of the threshold offered sufficient ac- 
commodation for both of us ; but now that it 
has cooled down, a couch of sixty yards wide 
is too narrow. 



Three things produce love: Culture of 
mind, modesty, and meekness. 

30 



Love takes no advice. 



The love which shirks from reproving is 
no love. 



Love inspired by unworthy motives dies 
when those motives disappear. 

MAN AND WIFE 

A continual dropping in a very rainy day 
and a contentious woman are alike. 

Weil said! 

The former precludes one from being in 
the open, the latter prevents one from being in 
his house. 



R. Halbo said: "One should always be 
careful with the honor of his wife as the bless- 
ing of the home usually comes for the sake 

of the wife." 



R. Jehudah said: "The husband should al- 
ways endeavor to provide bread for his house, 
for quarrels begin mostly on account of im- 
providence. 

31 



One should be careful with his wife, not to 
deceive her even in words, for often her tears 
hasten the punishment." 

A woman is generally very devoted to her 
first son-in-law, so that if her husband is wise, 
he will see that she does not give away to her 
son-in-law all he possesses. 

The man who marries a woman who is not 
suitable to be his wife may be compared to the 
man who takes the trouble to prepare the 
ground to grow salt in it. And the man who 
marries a woman for her money only, must 
expect bad offsprings. 

When the affections between husband and 
wife are as they should be, they can lie to- 
gether — so to say — on the edge of a sword; 
but when affection wanes, a very large room is 
too narrow for them. 



When you are about to marry, have a care 
as to the character and disposition of the 
brother of the woman you intend marrying, 
for as a general rule your future sons will take 

32 



up the character and disposition of their 
mother's brother. 



Love your wife truly and faithfully, and do 
not compel her to work hard. 



If thy wife is small bend down and take 
her counsel. 



Let a man be careful to honor his wife, for 
he owes to her alone all the blessings of his 
home. 

MARRIAGE 

A man is not allowed to marry a woman 
whom he does not in reality consider his suit- 
able partner in life, but wants to marry her 
for present conveniences, with intention even- 
tually to divorce her. 



Buy an estate in haste if you will, but do 
not choose a wife in haste; in fact do not 
choose one who is of better (higher) birth 
than you. 

33 



It is but natural that man should propose 
in marriage. He who lost something gener- 
ally endeavors to find his loss. The first man 
lost a rib and found it again in the shape of a 
wife. 



One who gives his daughter to a common 
person virtually casts her to a lion; for as a 
lion tears and devours his victim without 
shame, so does a common person beat his wife, 
then they come together again and he is not 
ashamed. 



Let youth and old age not be joined in mar- 
riage, lest the purity and peace of domestic 
life be disturbed. 

MATERIAL GAIN 

The most judicious way to invest one's pos- 
sessions is a third thereof in inmovable prop- 
erty, a third in goods and a third to have cash 
at call. 



If you have to sign your name on a blank 
piece of paper, sign at the top of the paper 
where nothing can be written above signature. 

34 



Anyone who has too much money and de- 
sires to get rid of it is advised to wear clothes 
made of Roman flax (material), use fre- 
quently glassware in his household, and em- 
ploy workmen and not superintend their 
work. 

MEDDLING 

The meddler has his spoon in every pot. 
MISER 

Man is like that vegetation which sprouts 
from the ground as a tender plant, and gradu- 
ally grows until at last it withers away and 
perisheth. 

This, O man, should teach thee to ever live 
pleasurably, enjoying the wealth that is thine 
while thou livest, for, consider, how long may 
that be? 

Life is brief and death is sure. What mat- 
ters it to thee if thy heirs will inherit a little 
more or a little less! Thou, O man, knowest 
not even how they will prize it whether they 
will make good use of it or squander it. 

The birds in the air even despise a miser. 

35 



MISFORTUNE 

When misfortune befalls you, examine your 
conduct and knowledge that God's chastise- 
ment is just. 

MODERATION 

Be not overzealous of your wife, for that 
tends to defeat your own purpose. 

The horse fed too freely with oats often be- 
comes unruly. 

Eat and drink to live; live not to eat and 
drink, for those do the beasts. 



The sensible man drinks only when he is 
thirsty. 

One should not drink the contents of a glass 
in one gulp, that betokens greediness. 

Two sips at intervals are more proper than 
three, which would seem somewhat pedantry. 

Wine in moderation is desirable, wine to 
excess is destructive to the body and soul. 

36 



NEATNESS 

Man's general expense should be less than 
his income, but as to the dress of his wife and 
of his children, that should be better than his 
income justifies. 

Attending a funeral shabbily dressed is rob- 
bing the dead of respect due them. 

OBSCENITY 

Let a man never allow an obscene word to 
pass out of his mouth. 

PARENTS 

The duty of honoring parents has not ceased 
when the earth has closed on their mortal re- 
mains. 

Their memory must be cherished and hon- 
ored. 

PATIENCE 

Never urge on matters unduly, if they do 
not hasten with your own speed, give them 
time for ripening. 

37 



PEACE 

Great is peace, for it is for the world what 

yeast is to the dough. 



Sow peace at home, scatter its fruits 
abroad. 



He who maketh peace among strivers will 
inherit eternal life. 

PERSECUTION 

R. Abahu said : "Be of them who are perse- 
cuted, not of them who persecute. 

Whosoever does not persecute them that 
persecute him, and whosoever takes an offence 
in silence, he who does good because of love, 
he who is cheerful under his suffering, they 
are the friends of God." 

And of them the scripture says : "They shall 
shine forth like the sun at noonday. There is 
not a single bird more persecuted than the 
dove, yet God has chosen her to be offered 
upon the alter." 

38 



'The bull is hunted by the lion, the sheep 
by the wolf, the goat by the tiger." 

And God said: "Bring me a sacrifice not 
from them who persecute, but from them that 
are persecuted." 

POVERTY 

Poverty sits as gracefully upon some people 
as a red saddle upon a white horse. 



Be mindful of the children of the poor, for 
learning comes from them. 



Healthy poverty is opulence, compared 
with ailing wealth. 

PRIDE 

A single coin in an empty box rattles loudly. 



Pride leads to the destruction of man. 



Even to his own household the overbearing 
is distasteful. 

39 



He who hardens his heart with pride softens 
his brain with the same. 



False pride is fatal to the acquisition of 
knowledge. 



If you don't know anything or cannot under- 
stand the thing explained to you, be not above 
asking. 



It requires but the slightest breeze of ill 
luck to cast down the proud, and quite right 
too; for the immense ocean, which consists of 
countless drops of water, is never the less dis- 
turbed by the slightest breeze ; and will there 
be anything more necessary to humble man, in 
whose veins only one drop of blood is flowing. 

PUBLIC OPINION 

If one person tells thee that thou hast asses 
ears, do not mind it; but if two persons make 
this assertion, at once place a pack-saddle 
upon thy back. 

40 



QUARRELING 

When two men quarrel, he who is first silent 
is the better man. 



Quarreling is the weapon of the weak. 

RELIGION 

Religion maketh the man. 
Religion is the light of the world. 

REPUTATION 

Three names are given to man: One by his 
parents, another by the world, and the third by 
his works — the one which is written in the 
immortal book of his fate. Which of the three 
names is the best? Solomon teaches us when 
he says: "A good name is better than the 
sweetest oil." 



There are three crowns: That of the law, 
the priesthood and royalty, but the crown of 
a good name is better than all these. 

41 



RICHES 

He is rich who enjoys what he possesseth. 
RIGHTEOUSNESS 

The learned man should judge himself ac- 
cording to his own teachings, and not do any- 
thing he has forbidden others to do. 

Go to sleep without supper, but rise without 
debts. 



The righteous man is a pillar upon which 
the whole world rests. 



Beasts of the field and the birds of the air 
find their food without anxiety or care. They 
were created for the service of man, and man 
would surely find his substance with the same 
ease were it not that his ways are corrupt and 
crooked. 



Johia said: "It is better for one to throw 
himself in a burning furnace, than bring one 
to public shame." 

42 



The giving of alms, visiting the sick and 
burying the dead is not to be confined to the 
Jews, but must be extended to non Jews as 
well. 



One that is desirous that his wife shall die in 
order to inherit her property, or one who is 
desirous that his brother shall die in order to 
marry his wife, in the end will be buried by 
them. 

Regarding such it is written. He that 
diggeth a pit will fall into it, and he who 
breaketh down a fence, a serpent will bite him. 

The judge who takes care to be just in 
judgment, is a helper of the supreme being in 
maintaining and upholding the world. 

SILENCE 

R. Agiba said: "The safeguard for honor is 
refraining from laughter; the safeguard for 
wisdom is silence." 



If silence is becoming to a wise man, how 
much more so to a fool. 

43 



If a word spoken in time is worth one piece 
of money, silence in its time is certainly worth 
two. 



If we are intrusted with some secrets by any- 
one, though not bidden by the party to keep it 
secret, we are not permitted to divulge what 
we're told without receiving permission from 
our informant to divulge. 

To talk whilst eating is to court danger. 

Blessed is he who silently bears his trial, of 
which every one has his share. 



Mishna P. Simeon, his son, was wont to 
say: "All the days of my life have been passed 
among the sages and I have never found any- 
thing better for a man than silence." 

SLANDER 

To slander is to murder. 



Better no ears at all than one that listeneth 
to evil. 

44 



Teach thy tongue to say, I do not know. 



Rather be thrown in a fiery furnace than 
bring one to public shame. 



A slanderer injures three persons: Him- 
self, him that receives the slander, and the 
slandered person. 



Listen, sir, to my words and give ear to my 
utterance. "Keep from strife with thy neigh- 
bor, and if thou seest that thy friend does any- 
thing wrong, guard thy tongue from gossip." 



R. Gamaliel ordered his servant to bring 
something good from the market and he 
brought a tongue. At another time he told 
him to bring something bad, and he also re- 
turned with a tongue. 

"Why did you on both occasions fetch a 
tongue?" the Rabbi asked. 

"It is the source of Good and Evil," Tobi re- 
plied. "If it is good there is nothing better. 
If it is bad there is nothing worse." 

45 



TEMPTATION 

Happy is the man who resists temptation. 

The study of God's words is the only anti- 
dote against temptation. 

THOUGHTS 

Sinful thoughts are more dangerous than 
sin itself. 

TOLERANCE 

"Before me," said the Lord, "there is no dif- 
ference between Jew and Gentile; he that 
accomplishes good, will I reward accord- 
ingly." 

The Lord who proclaimed the law of Sinai 
is the God of all the nations. 



Support the age without reference to re- 
ligion. 

Respect the learned without reference to 
age. 

46 



TRUTH 

Truth is heavy, therefore few care to carry 



it. 



Truth is the seal of God. 



Promise little and do much. 



Truth is its own witness. 



Truth tells its own tale. 

USEFULNESS 

In all God's creation there is not a single 
object without a purpose. 

VIRTUE 

Beautiful are the admonitions of those 
whose lives accord with their teachings. 

R. Dosa Horkhinas said: "Sleeping away 
in the morning, carousing at noonday, childish 
trifling and the company of the vulgar, waste 
a man's life away." 

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WEALTH 

He who loves money cannot be righteous, 
and he who hastens after possessions is led 
away from the right path. 

Happy is the man whose hands are clean 
and who does not cling to possessions. 

If there be such a man, we will praise him 
as happy, for he has done much for his peo- 
ple. If those tested and found unblemished, 
we will exalt him. If, having had the oppor- 
tunity to deceive, he did it not, having had the 
means to act unjustly, he acted fairly. 

The fortune of this world is like a wheel 
with two buckets, the full becomes empty, and 
the empty becomes full. 

Wealth may be like water gathered in a 
house, which, finding no outlet, drowns the 
owner. 

WINE 

When satan cannot come himself, he sends 
wine as a messenger. 

48 



When the wine enters the secret goes out. 

The man who accustoms himself to intoxi- 
cants is sure to become accustomed to look 
upon iniquity and immorality as the proper 
things. 

WISDOM 

Who gains wisdom? He who is willing to 
receive instructions from all sources. 



Who is the mighty man? He who sub- 
dueth his temper. 



Who is rich? He who is contented with 
his lot. 

WOMAN 

A woman loves a poor youth rather than 
an old man. 



A woman prefers poverty with the affection 
of her husband to riches without it. 



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WORRY 

Do not worry about what is above the 
heavens or what will happen when this world 
will be destroyed, it is all arranged without 
your aid. 

YOUTH 

Some are old in their youth, others are 
young in their old age. 

Happy is he who fears God when in the 
prime of life. 

Alas! for one thing that goes and never re- 
turns. What is it? Youth. 



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